Swiss energy giants pay record dividends, watch out for Chinese fondues

Swiss energy giants pay record dividends, watch out for Chinese fondues
Swiss energy giants pay record dividends, watch out for Chinese fondues

A Korean sect led by an employee of the city of Zurich in Switzerland, the Center's immigration project to stay in good standing with the EU and the abnormally high profits of Swissgrid make the headlines in the Sunday press. Here is the main information:

A view of the four copies of the Sunday newspapers, with the Sonntags Zeitung, the Sonntags Blick, Le Matin Dimanche and the NZZ am Sonntag (archives).

KEYSTONE

Immigration: The Center challenges the UDC

The Center is pulling the rug out from under the SVP by proposing a mechanism to control immigration within the framework of the agreement with the EU. The party proposes to make it a direct counter-project to the initiative against mass immigration of the UDC “No Switzerland for 10 million”, writes Le Matin on Sunday. The people would decide on this before the vote on the package with the EU. The objective is to be able to preserve the agreements with Brussels. The PLR ​​approves the project while the Greens are skeptical. The PS wants the guarantee of salary protection.

Energy sector: record profits

The energy sector is accused of making its record profits thanks to excessively high electricity prices. The national company responsible for the Swissgrid electricity network has recorded profits of 788 million francs since 2014, including 319 million paid to shareholders in the form of dividends, indicates SonntagsBlick. Axpo and BKW, which own more than two-thirds of Swissgrid, benefited to the tune of around 200 million. The power groups received Swissgrid shares after having to cede ownership and responsibility for the network in 2013, the company explains. The Federal Electricity Commission considers the interest rate on capital in the electricity network excessive. The Federal Council plans to adapt the calculation method in order to avoid unjustified returns.

Sect leader works for the city of Zurich

The Schincheonji sect, created in South Korea, also has followers in Switzerland. There are between 300 and 400 members in the country, according to Relinfo, cited by the NZZ am Sonntag. The president of the sect, registered in the commercial register as an association, is said to be a psychiatrist working for the city of Zurich. Questioned by the newspaper, he indicates that his personal faith has never interfered with his professional activity. His employer, the city of Zurich, claims to have been unaware of this religious commitment and will examine the case closely.

Tensions within the Eritrean diaspora

The Confederation has entrusted the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue with playing a mediating role within the Eritrean diaspora in Switzerland. The Geneva-based organization will have to defuse tensions between supporters and opponents of the Eritrean military dictatorship, indicates SonntagsBlick. Initial discussions have already taken place, according to Martin von Muralt, delegate of the National Security Network. Mediation, however, proves difficult, with divergences existing within the groups. Violent clashes have taken place on several occasions within the Eritrean community in Switzerland.

Avalanche of lost luggage at Zurich airport

The number of bags mishandled by Swiss at Zurich airport has doubled compared to the pre-Covid period. The modernization of the airport's baggage sorting facility explains this development, says the airline's chief operating officer Oliver Buchhofer in the NZZ am Sonntag. Swiss considers itself particularly concerned, because it alone assumes compensation such as hotel costs and lost luggage. “In addition to hotel and meal costs, we paid more than 10 million francs in compensation to our customers alone during the first nine months of this year,” says Buchhofer.

Beware of Chinese fondues

With Christmas, Chinese fondues multiply, as do food infections. “Each year, up to 10,000 cases are announced in Switzerland,” declares the spokesperson for the Federal Office of Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (OSAV), Tiziana Boebner Lombardo, in Le Matin Dimanche. Overall, these food infections generate costs of up to 50 million francs per year in Switzerland, explains Ms. Boebner Lombardo. To avoid this contamination, which mainly affects young men, we must avoid at all costs placing raw poultry meat on the plate where we eat, it is recalled.

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